It has been a week since Gwendolyn 'The Stealth Bomber' O'Neil won Guyana its fourth current world title and its first on local soil, when she whipped Kathy Rivers of the United States of America, winning a unanimous decision at the National Park before a could-have-been-larger crowd. Compared to world title fights held in the US, ticket prices were dirt cheap. (Admittedly, most Guyanese watch US boxing cards for free, compliments of enterprising local television station owners.) So perhaps, the reason the National Park was not filled to capacity had to do with people's feelings about women in boxing. Or maybe, many felt that Gwendolyn could not make the cut.
Whatever the reason, it is all now in the past. Gwendolyn O'Neil blitzed every nay-sayer and boxed her way into the hearts of Guyanese. Even people who believe that women should not be in a boxing ring can't help but feel a tinge of pride at the account she gave of herself. And many people who may have wavered over buying a ticket and then didn't, probably kicked themselves at having missed what was said to be a brilliant fight.
Women's International Boxing Association Light Heavyweight Champion of the World, Guyanese Gwendolyn O'Neil is now the talk of the town. More than that, she is the flavour of the month. Everyone wants an interview. She is in all the newspapers and on television talk shows. But what next? What happens next week or next month when the fans come down off their high? Where does that leave Gwendolyn O'Neil?
Well one thing's for sure, she will be fighting. From what she has told us of her life, it is not hard to deduce that Gwendolyn has been fighting for far longer than the five years since she came to the city from Mabaruma in Region One. Born to an Amerindian mother, the mixed-race boxer has five children of her own aged 12 to five years. And while last Saturday's fight may have been Gwendolyn's biggest payday to date, with five children to feed and bills to pay it is not going to last very long.
And she knows this. By Monday of this week, Gwendolyn was itchy already. Forced to rest because of an injury to her face, she was anxious to get back into the gym and already looking ahead to her next opponents. Gwendolyn may well remain on top of her game for a long time yet, but she may not.
Life is unpredictable. That is why it is perplexing that a week after she won the title, there is no announcement of the state's gratitude to her in tangible terms. It is even more worrying when one considers that male boxers vying for world titles received pledges of gifts from the state and individuals before they even set foot in the ring, and that these have since been fulfilled. Yes. Everyone saw our jubilant President put the championship belt on her. But that can't be all can it? Surely not.
She should not have had to, but Gwendolyn's not shy and she has publicly stated her needs. She should have all that she has asked for and more.